Portugal completely dominated Armenia in their recent FIFA World Cup qualifier clash. The two sides took on each other on November 16, and Portugal managed to register a thumping 9-1 victory against the side, directly earning qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
It is worth noting that Portugal registered a brilliant victory in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo. The star forward was suspended after he received a red card in his side’s previous game against Ireland.
Speaking on the same, Portugal’s president, Rebelo de Sousa, came forward and talked about how it is a shame that Ronaldo missed the game and opined that he must be sorry for missing such a clash.
"Ronaldo always has a place. It's a shame he didn't come today. He must be terribly sorry for missing a game that deserved the captain's presence,” Rebelo de Sousa was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.
Portugal’s Prime Minister speaks on side’s future after Ronaldo
Furthermore, the country’s Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, came forward and talked about what the future of Portugal’s national team could look like after Ronaldo eventually retires.
"With him [Ronaldo]. I think he still has a role to play in this final phase, but the coach will decide. We have a group of players who offer the coach a huge range of possibilities, and he has a huge headache trying to choose a starting eleven and manage the players' comings and goings throughout the game,” he said.
"We have an endless amount of talent, and the country will be much more optimistic today. When the final phase begins, the entire Portuguese nation will be very happy and united around one of the strongest elements of our identity, of our Portuguese spirit, which is our national football team,” he added.